To Challenge US, China Sends Su-35 Fighters In S China Sea

Beijing: China has recently sent Su-35 fighter jets for a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea area, according to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) air force Wednesday.

The deployment is part of the air force’s efforts to carry out military training under combat conditions, it said. The Su-35 fighter jets participating in such training are expected to enhance the air force’s combat capability under long-distance or high-sea conditions, it said.

The PLA air force said it would continue to attach importance to science and technology, rule of law and sound planning in its training to improve its ability to win wars in the new era.

This is the first time the People’s Liberation Army Air Force has made public the deployment of its Su-35s, introduced to China in late 2016, state-run People’s Daily reported.

The air force did not reveal when the patrol took place. The release said the multirole fighter jet’s participation in combat exercises will help strengthen the air force’s long- range operational capability. The air force will continue pushing forward training to improve combat capabilities, it said.